Buffer-treated rubber article for contact with skin

ABSTRACT

A Rubber article manufactured according to the latex dipping method, in which the surface to come into contact with the human body is treated and prepared respectively with a buffer substance tolerated by the skin, selected from the group consisting of esters of oxy-benzoic acid, in order to neutralize traces of alkalis.

United States Patent [1 1 Wollmann et al.

[ Feb. 19, 1974 1 BUFFER-TREATED RUBBER ARTICLE FOR CONTACT WITII SKIN [75] Inventors: Ernest Wollmann, Pottschach;Jose1 Zartl, Vienna, both of Austria [62] Division of Ser. No. 21,208, March 19, 1970, Pat.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 21, 1969 Austria 2846/69 [52] US. Cl....'. 117/95, 2/168, 117/18, 117/139, 264/232, 264/301 [51] Int. Cl. C08c 17/24, B29c 25/00 [58] Field of Search... ll7/95, 18, 139; 260/474;

[56] References Cited 9 v UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,318,657 5/1943 Alexander 264/340 X 2,507,244 5/1950 Correll 2/168 X 2,989,755 6/1961 O'Brien et al. 117/95 3,637,411 1/1972 Agostinelli 117/18 5/1972 Miller 117/139 X Primary Examiner-Ralph I-Iusack Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Marvin R. Stern [57] ABSTRACT A Rubber article manufactured according to the latex dipping method, in which the surface to come into contact with the human body is treated and prepared respectively with a buffer substance tolerated by the skin, selected from the group consisting of esters of oxy-benzoic acid, in order to neutralize traces of alka- 3 Claims, No Drawings BUFFER-TREATED RUBBER ARTICLE FOR CONTACT WITH SKIN This is a division of application Ser. No. 21,208 filed Mar. 19, 1970 now US. Pat. No. 3,662,054, issued 7 stances, as they destroy the acid film of the skin. This protective function of the skin which is importantfor prophylactic care is based on small amounts of acids secreted by the perspiration glands that normally will keep the pH of the skin well within the acid range. A destruction of the acid film of the skin by soap, borax or soda may be overcome by cosmetics containing, e. g., citric acid, tartaric acid or boric acid.

It has now been found that the interfernce with the acid film of the skin by the use of gloves made accord ing to the latex immersion method is prevented by applying esters of oxy-benzoic acid preferably of salicylic acid to the inner surface of the gloves. Such esters are, e.g., the acetic acid ester of salicylic acid CH COOC H CO H and salicylo-salicylic acid HO-C H COOC l-I CO H which esters can give off salicylic acid by dissociation. It is, accordingly, the primary object of the present invention to provide articles of the type described with a buffer substance thereon to counteract the alkali traces therein, and the method of producing the same.

Such buffer substances tolerated by the skin allow a better preservation of the acid film than by the organic acids themselves which could be proved by animalexperiments (on the shaved skin of rabbits and guineapigs). Of course, the application of the instant invention is not restricted to gloves but may be used for any rubber articles made according to the latex immersion method which come into contact with the skin, such as preservatives, face masks, bathing caps and the like.

The buffer substances covered by the invention are applied to the rubber articles either mixed with dusting powders such as, for example, wheat starch, zinc oxide, talc or lycopodium or by treating the rubber articles with solutions of salicylic acid ester before or after drying. v

As a powder for dusting surgical gloves or other articles a mixture of 90 parts of starch or talcum and 10 parts of acetyl salicylic acid may be used.

For the treatment of a not powdered article a solution of 95 parts of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and 5 parts of salicylo-salicylic acid is proposed according to the invention.

On the other hand the following solution may be provided for treating household gloves of latex with a textile reinforcement or fibrous velour finish on their inner surface:

1 part of salicyl anilide in 95 parts of water with a small amount of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) added.

In due course of manufacture or thereafter the inner surface of the glove is brought into contact with the solution. After drying the inner surface of the glove will be anti-allergic and also will be equipped with an antibody against mycosis.

What we claim is:

1. A rubber article manufactured according to the latex dipping method and having a surface which comes into contact with the human body, said surface having thereon a buffer substance tolerated by the skin for neutralizing traces of alkalis, said buffer substance being selected from the .group consisting of esters of oxy-benzoic acid.

2. An article according to claim 1 wherein said buffer substance is present on said surface mixed with a dusting powder.

3. An article according to claim 1 in the form of a glove wherein said substance is on the inside surface of said glove. 

2. An article according to claim 1 wherein said buffer substance is present on said surface mixed with a dusting powder.
 3. An article according to claim 1 in the form of a glove wherein said substance is on the inside surface of said glove. 